The present invention relates to a brake and release apparatus for a rotary nozzle body.
In German patent application DE-OS 33 17 583 owned by the assignee of the present application, a device for the control of a fast flying missile is described which comprises a rotary nozzle body rapidly rotating about the longitudinal axis thereof having at least one thrust nozzle pointing in the ejection direction. The rotary nozzle body is driven continuously about an axis approximately perpendicular to the ejection direction by the gas stream of a gas source, e.g., a gas generator. This is achieved, for example, in that the rotary nozzle body has at least one thrust nozzle whose thrust direction does not go through the axis of rotation of the rotary nozzle body. The position of the rotary nozzle body relative to the missile casing can be adjusted by a brake and release device in the manner of a friction coupling or clutch. Depending on this relative angle position, the thrust vector of the thrust jet points in a certain direction in space, whereby a control force is exerted on the missile. The friction coupling comprises a friction disk fastened to the missile, a co-rotating coupling disk connected to the notary nozzle body, and on the side of the missile, a pressure disk, the position of which can be adjusted by means of an electromagnet in such a way that either the coupling disk of the rotary nozzle body is clamped between the missile-side friction disks or can rotate freely between them.
This known device for the guiding of missiles can be miniaturized to a high degree. In addition, through the continuously drivable fast rotating rotary nozzle body, in principle, a very rapid change of command, i.e., change of the thrust jet from one to another direction in space, can be obtained. The thus attainable control frequency for the command changes is limited essentially by the response sensitivity and accuracy of the brake and release device.